


Brilliant In This Light

by BridgetMcKennitt



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Character of Color, Future Fic, Gen, NPT Treat, Superheroes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-02
Updated: 2013-07-02
Packaged: 2017-12-14 17:04:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/839266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BridgetMcKennitt/pseuds/BridgetMcKennitt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kaede had been waiting for this moment for most of her life, and now she was a Hero.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brilliant In This Light

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chaineddove](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaineddove/gifts).



Kaede still couldn't believe that she had graduated from Hero Academy a few days ago. Agnes already offered her a position on Hero TV and she happily accepted. Her father, Kotetsu, was even happier than she was, and Barnaby had to calm him down before he did something stupid.

She was going to be a Hero. Tomorrow she'd meet with Agnes and finalize her costume and her Hero name. She'd find out whether Agnes would give her a permanent partner or switch her off between each Hero. Either way, she was going to prove herself and become Queen of Heroes at the end of the season.

"Kaede, I have some snacks for you." Her grandmother entered the living room from the kitchen and offered her a plate of mochi.

"Thank you." Kaede bit into the first mochi piece and made a contented noise. "Yum, this is delicious."

Her grandmother sat down next to her and wrapped Kaede in a hug. "You're going to be a Hero just like your father. Promise me you'll be careful?"

"I promise. I learned so much from Hero Academy and now I get to use that knowledge to become a true Hero. Me!"

"Your father and Barnaby will be escorting you to your meeting with Agnes tomorrow." Her grandmother raised her hand to stop Kaede from complaining. "They're not trying to baby you, I promise. They just want to make certain Agnes doesn't override your desires."

"Fine. They can come." Kaede reached for another piece of mochi. "I'm going to be a Hero tomorrow."

*

Kaede stared at her wristwatch before running even faster. She was late. She couldn't believe she was late. If she had her father's Hundred Power, she'd make it there in no time at all.

She finally made it to the Apollon Media building and saw both her father and Barnaby standing there. Kaede ran up and hugged them both. "I'm sorry I'm late."

Kotetsu waved off her apologizes with his hand. "No worries. I already called Agnes and told her it was my fault we're running late. She's used to my excuses by now."

Kaede winced and hoped she wasn't going to follow in her father's footsteps in that way. She wanted to be a Hero, and while she loved her father, she didn't want people to think of her as a joke. They entered the building and took the elevator to Agnes' office.

It was exactly how Barnaby warned her it would be, and she was glad her father and Barnaby were there with her. The rest of the day went by in a blur as she was measured into a costume and new names were tested and rejected.

It was decided that her costume would look similar to Wild Tiger and Barnaby's except purple lighting instead of green or pink. Her Hero name was Wild Trades, as a play on Jack of all trades, because she could copy a NEXT's ability and the Wild was to acknowledge she was Wild Tiger's daughter. Kaede looked at herself in the mirror and thought she looked like a Hero.

Agnes came up behind her and her reflection smiled. "Your partner's waiting in my office. Want to go meet her?"

"Yes."

It took a few tries to move smoothly in her costume, but she managed to follow Agnes down the hallway. Within Agnes' office, stood an unfamiliar woman in a similar costume to Kaede's own, but with blue lighting. Kaede glanced at Agnes and made a face.

"I think this is too much call back to my father and Barnaby's partnership."

"Nonsense. Nostalgia was a big hit with our test audience and you're the daughter of a Hero. We want them to remember you."

"As long as they see me and not Wild Tiger." Kaede stepped forward and held out her hand. "Hi, I'm Kaede, otherwise known as Wild Trades. I can copy a NEXT's ability."

The woman took her hand and shook it. She was older than Kaede, with wavy black hair pinned up by clips, and a serious expression on her face. "Greetings, Kaede. I'm Carla. My Hero name is Speedster and I have super speed."

Two speed running Heroes? Kaede imagined that ability would help them rack up points over the other Heroes.

"I've never practiced with super speed before, but I can't wait to try."

Kaede took a deep breath and found the place inside her where she copied Carla's ability through their handshake. Kaede's helmet snapped over her head and she ran. She ran faster than she ever had before, even faster than when she had access to her father's Hundred Power. Kaede ran down the hallway and back into Agnes' office in a blink of an eye. In fact, as she looked at the clock on the wall, it only took a few seconds.

"That was fun!"

Carla's helmet snapped over her head as well. "I'll race you to the ice rink. Go!" Carla vanished and Kaede blinked before chasing after her.

*

It was the season premiere of Hero TV and her first official moment in the public eye. Kaede was nervous. What if she screwed up? What if she didn't catch the bad guy? Kaede bit her lip.

"Don't feel nervous. We'll be working together and this isn't my first time."

"I know, but I don't want to mess up."

"Just follow my lead and you'll be fine. The computer in your suit can track my movement and you'll be able to keep up with me." Carla nodded to Kaede. "We'll catch the bad guys and save the citizens before the other Heroes realize what's going on."

It was time. There was a bank robbery taking place halfway across Sternbild City. Carla took off and Kaede followed right behind her. They ran between moving cars on the street, yet at their speed, it was like everyone was frozen in place.

Agnes warned Kaede and Carla that just capturing the bad guys without pausing to show off their suits or catchphrases was unacceptable. They were there to film Heroes in action, not blurs. Carla and Kaede stopped just outside the bank to let the cameras film them arriving.

"I want you to herd the hostages to a safe corner of the room while I disarm the robbers. Got it?"

Wild Trades would rather be the one who disarmed the robbers, but she agreed. Speedster was the more experienced Hero between the two of them and she'd have her turn in due time.

"Are you ready?" Speedster asked.

"Ready as ever," she answered back.

Speedster opened the bank door and zoomed inside, Wild Trades following close behind. Wild Trades spotted the hostages and she shoved at them until they were huddled in the corner, safe from potential stray bullets. She turned around and saw Speedster grabbing at the robbers' guns and disarming them before tossing them aside. Wild Trades ran towards her partner and helped her bring the robbers to their knees.

Once the threat was over, they led the robbers outside where the police and cameras waited. This was her moment, her time to prove she was just as much a Hero as her father.

Her catchphrase got caught in her throat as she stared at the cameras. It was fortunate that her suit didn't reveal her face because she was certain she looked gobsmacked instead of heroic. Then she decided to forgo the catchphrase and instead saluted to the cameras.

Speedster chuckled beside her. "Not much for talking, huh? I'm the same."

Perhaps that was why Agnes teamed them together, because Speedster certainly didn't need her to help capture bad guys. Speedster would help her gain experience and she'd help Speedster with her popularity.

With that in mind, Wild Trades took the lead during their interview. She clasped Speedster on her shoulder and credited the older woman in helping her as a newly minted Hero. The interviewer loved it and Speedster merely stood silent while Wild Trades talked.

After they were done for the night, Kaede thanked Carla while they were in the locker room.

"I know you didn't have to be my partner."

"No problem. When Agnes offered me the opportunity, I took it. She knows how much I hate being in the spotlight and you did fine." She leaned back against her locker.

Kaede beamed. "Thank you."

"I don't know if your dad is taking you out to dinner to celebrate, but if not, I know a place we can go. What'd you say?"

That was probably something Kotetsu and Barnaby had in mind, but they wouldn't begrudge her having dinner with her new partner. "I'd love to have dinner."

Carla pushed off from the locker and offered her hand to Kaede. They shook hands and Kaede felt good. She was a Hero.


End file.
